The Belly Diaries | 36 Weeks | Nursery Rocker…Check!

As I quickly approach our little man’s due date, I’m working hard to pull together all of the details I can. All of you experienced moms have gently warned me, “If there’s something you want to do, get it done NOW!” So…I have definitely heeded that advice.

One of the last main pieces was for us to make a decision on a nursery rocker. Our two biggest priorities were comfort and durability, but there were so many options. The rocker was the one piece of furniture in the nursery that we had specifically budgeted for something nicer. Here were the things we considered:

1. The BuyBuyBaby Rocker/Recliner: The primary benefit of this option was the reclining feature, but we decided against it for three reasons: (1) It was made in China (2) with mediocre materials (3) and still had a hefty price tag over $1,000.
2. The “Posh” Rocker: I had admired this modern rocker on several nursery design websites. It’s indeed a very haute look. We decided against it though mostly because we didn’t love any of the standard fabric options, but it’s also a little pricey at about $1000.
3. The High Quality Rocker: As some of you know, I work for Pacific Mfg., my family’s local upholstery company, and we have a very popular swivel glider. Some of the benefits of this option were: (1) Comparable to the other prices at an average of about $950, depending on fabric. (2) We could pick ANY fabric! (3) Several arm and back shape options. (4) Locally made with materials made to really last. To be honest, we will definitely get one of these eventually because I’ve ALWAYS wanted one, but we first decided to resurrect the “Ugly” Rocker…
4. The “Ugly Duckling” Rocker: My husband bought the “Ugly Duckling” rocker at a garage sale when he was in college for $20. He’s hauled it cross country several times, and loved it ever since. Several weeks ago we decided it’s something we’d like to keep, so we HAD to come up with a plan to give it a second lease on life.

• We ripped out the hideous upholstery panels (no picture, but believe me it was not good…) and we were left with this:   (Lots of potential, huh?!)
• Then I took the frame to Allison’s Furniture where for $89 they stripped the chair down to the bare wood. (Trust me, in most cases it’s not worth doing yourself. The supplies are costly and involve LOTS of chemicals that no preggers should be near.)
• Next, we got one hide of a leather we really loved. Pacific, has many types of leather to choose from, or you can find a leather or fabric at lots of fabric stores around town. (Fabric Depot, Interior Fabrics, and Boca Bargoons are my 3 favorites!) Keep in mind that leather is generally twice as expensive as fabric…ours was $250.
• Lastly, Pacific reupholstered the rocker in the leather for us. The upholstery cost depends a lot on the style of the chair, but ours cost $350. Pacific doesn’t specialize in reupholstery, but they’re often able to work pieces in between normal production. They can also recommend other local upholsterers.

Let’s total this up:

Original Chair $20

Stripping $89

Leather $250

Refinishing/Reupholstery $350

TOTAL = $709…   and now we have a gorgeous classic rocker that we’ll have in our home forever and probably pass on someday!

Drumroll……

THIS is it! The “Ugly Duckling” has turned into a beautiful swan:

Do YOU have an Ugly Duckling story?

Quickly, before I go…

Yeah…he’s gettin’ huge. At 36 weeks now, I’m measuring over 40 weeks and he’s measuring in the 93rd percentile…this could be the last belly shot for SMB. Wow…it’s gone so fast!

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Brittany is an Arizona native and married to her best friend, Brandon. They are expecting their first child in December. Brittany is currently the product and graphic designer for her family’s custom upholstery business, Pacific Mfg. Co. (www.pacificfurn.com). Learn more about her here.